How to trigger sample for attack and then run granular synthesis during sustain?

Software Instruments Pigments
#1

I’m new to synthesis and starting with Pigments. I can imagine a way to do this using two engines and some envelopes etc. But what is the best workflow for this sort of thing? I imagine it’s a pretty common use case.

Specifically I’m trying to recreate a singing bowl sound. I’d like do trigger one of several samples on attack and then switch to granular synthesis on a separate sample (or separate region of the same sample) for the remainder of the sound while the midi key is pressed.

#2

Hi and welcome @eraoul .

Yes you can use 2 engines and for example modulate volume parameters.
Perhaps you - at least sometimes - also can use one engine and then for example modulate the Density, Shape and Size Parameters - the 3 parameters just below the Granular sections on/ off button - with a modulator like a Function perhaps. You will need to exsperiment. I don’t know if there are other possibilities.

The best way is the one that work best for you i guess.

Hope this helps.

1 Like
#3

Thanks! I was hoping there was a way to do this with just 1 engine, but maybe that’s impossible? One specific thing is that I’d like to use granular only after attack so I was hoping I could turn the granular engine on/off via an external modulating source, but I guess that’s not possible? The Sample engine behaves quite differently in sample mode vs granular mode (play through sample straight vs granular synth) but I was hoping there was a way to switch modes dynamically since it’s already unified into the same engine.

#4

Copy the instrument in your daw - first instrument has non granular, 2nd is granular.

Copy the midi.

Switch instrument 1 off and number 2 on after your attack.

Clunky but this is something I have done when the instrument doesn’t support this kind of switching…